E-Newsletter

Defending the Clean Air Act - Press Releases

U.S. EPA Announces First Standards in a Generation Limiting Toxic Emissions from Wood-burning DevicesFebruary 4, 2015
- The American Lung Association welcomes new standards for new wood-burning boilers, furnaces and stoves announced today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These new standards are an important step forward to help protect the health of Americans. Wood smoke is a significant source of air pollution that harms human health, especially for people with asthma and other lung diseases.

New Poll Shows Widespread Support for Stronger Smog StandardsNovember 25, 2014
- Americans across the country are overwhelmingly supportive of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposing an update to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone – often known as smog – that would limit the amount of this life-threatening air pollution in the air we breathe, according to new data released today from a nationwide, bipartisan survey conducted by the American Lung Association.

MEDIA ADVISORY - JUNE 2 TELEPHONE BRIEFING June 1, 2014
- President Obama will join the American Lung Association for a telephone briefing to health professionals and public health advocates on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed carbon pollution standards for existing power plants, expected health benefits and opportunities to provide public input.

American Lung Association “State of the Air 2014” Shows Half the U.S. Lives with Unhealthy Air April 30, 2014
- Nearly half of all Americans – more than 147 million – live in counties in the U.S. where ozone or particle pollutions levels make the air unhealthy to breathe, according to the American Lung Association’s “State of the Air 2014” report released today. The 15th annual national report card shows that while the nation overall continued to reduce particle pollution, a pollutant recently found to cause lung cancer, poor air quality remains a significant public health concern and a changing climate threatens to make it harder to protect human health. Especially alarming is that levels of ozone (smog), a powerful respiratory irritant and the most widespread air pollutant, were much worse than in the previous year’s report.

Lung Association Applauds Supreme Court Decision to Uphold EPA’s Cross-State Air Pollution RuleApril 29, 2014
- In response to the decision released today by the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule – a commonsense clean air safeguard that follows the “good neighbor” principle established in the Clean Air Act to cut pollution that blows across the borders of 28 eastern states– the American Lung Association (an intervener in the case) released the following statement.

America Lung Association to Release "State of the Air 2014" Report April 24, 2014
- The American Lung Association is releasing the results of its 15th annual “State of the Air” report, a national air quality “report card” that grades counties and ranks cities across the nation based on their scores for ozone (sometimes called smog), year-round particle pollution (sometimes called soot) and short-term particle pollution levels.

Administration Officials, National Health Organizations Join in “Town Hall” with Health Leaders to Highlight Health Impacts of Air Pollution April 9, 2014
- Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Health Dr. Howard Koh, MD, MPH, joined health leaders from the American Lung Association, American Public Health Association and others in a national “town hall” conversation on the human health impacts of air pollution, including carbon pollution from power plants, and climate change. All agreed that the Clean Air Act has driven significant cleanup of major air pollution sources including vehicles and power plants. Yet, we must do more as a nation to protect the public from the continuing dangers of air pollution.

American Lung Association Welcomes New Methane Plan March 28, 2014
- We commend the Obama Administration for developing a strategy to curb methane air pollution, particularly from the oil and gas sector. Methane is a potent climate forcing pollutant. Scientists warn that methane contributes to climate change and warmer average temperatures. Rising temperatures increase the risk of unhealthful ozone levels, because higher temperatures can enhance the conditions for ozone formation.

Lung Association Urges Senate to Reject Latest House Attempt to Block Clean Air ProtectionsMarch 6, 2014
- The American Lung Association is disappointed that the U.S. House of Representatives passed yet another bill that would block critical clean air protections. By a vote of 229 – 183, the House approved H.R. 3826, sponsored by Representative Ed Whitfield (R-KY), which would block important new clean air protections limiting carbon pollution from power plants. The American Lung Association strongly urges the U.S. Senate to reject this bill and its companion S. 1905 sponsored by Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV).

Henry A. Waxman is a True Lung Health ChampionJanuary 30, 2014
- The American Lung Association thanks Representative Henry A. Waxman for his four decades of championing the lung health of all Americans. Cleaner air, better health and fewer people smoking are just part of his tremendous lung health legacy.